Contribution of glucose and glutamine to hypoxia-induced lipid synthesis decreases, while contribution of acetate increases, during 3T3-L1 differentiation.

The molecular mechanisms linking obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) to obesity and the development of metabolic diseases are still poorly understood. The role of hypoxia (a characteristic feature of OSA) in excessive fat accumulation has been proposed. The present study investigated the possible effects of hypoxia (4% oxygen) on de novo lipogenesis by tracking the major carbon sources in differentiating 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Examining the Association of Rare Allelic Variants in Urate Transporters , , and with Hyperuricemia and Gout.

Genetic variations in urate transporters play a significant role in determining human urate levels and have been implicated in developing hyperuricemia or gout. Polymorphism in the key urate transporters, such as ABCG2, URAT1, or GLUT9 was well-documented in the literature. Therefore in this study, our objective was to determine the frequency and effect of rare nonsynonymous allelic variants of , , and on urate transport.

Functional Characterization of Rare Variants in OAT1/ and OAT3/ Urate Transporters Identified in a Gout and Hyperuricemia Cohort.

The OAT1 () and OAT3 () urate transporters are located on the basolateral membrane of the proximal renal tubules, where they ensure the uptake of uric acid from the urine back into the body. In a cohort of 150 Czech patients with primary hyperuricemia and gout, we examined the coding regions of both genes using PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing. Variants p.

Female calling, life cycle, and microstructures of the parasitic beetle Ripidius quadriceps Abeille de Perrin.

The precopulatory behaviour of the larviform females of Ripidius quadriceps Abeille de Perrin, 1872 is described. The calling posture of virgin females is documented. The cephalic morphology and microstructures are visualised using scanning electron microscopy, in particular the secretory pores in the cuticle of inflatable maxillary palps.

Establishment of a new microsporidian genus and species, Pseudoberwaldia daphniae (Microsporidia, Opisthosporidia), a common parasite of the Daphnia longispina complex in Europe.

Microsporidia are among the most common microparasites of cladocerans and have potentially significant impact on host populations. However, many of these pathogens are known only from molecular-based studies. We provide ultrastructural data supported by molecular phylogeny for a common microsporidium infecting the Daphnia longispina complex, important planktonic filter-feeders in reservoirs and ponds in the temperate Holarctic region.

Molecular and structural assessment of microsporidia infecting daphnids: The "obtusa-like" microsporidia, a branch of the monophyletic Agglomeratidae clade, with the establishment of a new genus Conglomerata.

Microsporidia (Opisthosporidia, Microsporidia) are frequent parasites of planktonic cladocerans, including Daphnia (Crustacea, Branchiopoda). Analysis of available molecular data (ITS region and partial ssu and lsu rDNA) of these parasites indicates that many microsporidia infecting daphnids have a common ancestor and represent a large clade, which splits during evolution into a number of well supported subclades. These subclades are cytologically different but may be most conveniently characterised by their specific ITS barcode.

Protistology Conferences: The Beginnings. The First International Protozoology Conference (Prague 1961) and the Tribute to Otto Jírovec, its Spiritual Father.

Two events have helped to shape protozoology/protistology as a specific scientific discipline. The first such event was the creation of the Society of Protozoologists in the U.S.

Microsporidian genus Berwaldia (Opisthosporidia, Microsporidia), infecting daphnids (Crustacea, Branchiopoda): Biology, structure, molecular phylogeny and description of two new species.

Structural, molecular and life cycle data are presented for two microsporidian species of the genus Berwaldia: B. singularis Larsson, 1981 (type species of the genus) and B. schaefernai Vávra and Larsson, 1994, parasites of Daphnia pulex Leydig, 1860 and Daphnia galeata Sars, 1863, respectively.

Occurrence, pathology, and ultrastructure of iridovirus and cytoplasmic polyhedrosis viruses in daphnids from the Czech Republic.

Iridescent (IVs, family Iridoviridae, genus Iridovirus) and cytoplasmic polyhedrosis viruses (CPVs; family Reoviridae, genus Cypovirus) are well known in insects, with thirteen IV species recognized from various orders, and sixteen CPV species known from lepidopterans. In 1975, an IV and CPV were reported in the daphnid, Simocehpalus expinosus, in Florida, but other reported daphnid virus infections seem to be rare. Here we report infected daphnids from woodland and carp ponds in the Czech Republic, Daphnia curvirostris with an IV, and D.

Globulispora mitoportans n. g., n. sp., (Opisthosporidia: Microsporidia) a microsporidian parasite of daphnids with unusual spore organization and prominent mitosome-like vesicles.

The microsporidian parasite Globulispora mitoportans, n. g., n.

Description and phylogeny of Zelenkaia trichopterae gen. et sp. nov. (Microsporidia), an aquatic microsporidian parasite of caddisflies (Trichoptera) forming spore doublets.

Two novel microsporidia infecting the fat body tissues in larvae of two hosts, Halesus digitatus and Micropterna sequax (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae), were investigated using light and electron microscopy and rDNA sequence analyses. The molecular and morphological characters of these isolates warrant creation of a new microsporidian genus, Zelenkaia gen. n.

Microsporidia and 'the art of living together'.

Parasitism, aptly defined as one of the 'living-together' strategies (Trager, 1986), presents a dynamic system in which the parasite and its host are under evolutionary pressure to evolve new and specific adaptations, thus enabling the coexistence of the two closely interacting partners. Microsporidia are very frequently encountered obligatory intracellular protistan parasites that can infect both animals and some protists and are a consummate example of various aspects of the 'living-together' strategy. Microsporidia, relatives of fungi in the superkingdom Opisthokonta, belong to the relatively small group of parasites for which the host cell cytoplasm is the site of both reproduction and maturation.

Opportunistic nature of the mammalian microsporidia: experimental transmission of Trachipleistophora extenrec (Fungi: Microsporidia) between mammalian and insect hosts.

Spores of Trachipleistophora extenrec, originally isolated from the muscles of the Madagascan insectivore Hemicentetes semispinosus and maintained by serial passage in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice, were fed to larvae of the Egyptian cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis. Extensive infection of larval tissues ensued and caused larval and pupal mortality. The development of T.

Morphology, molecular phylogeny, and ecology of Binucleata daphniae n. g., n. sp. (Fungi: Microsporidia), a parasite of Daphnia magna Straus, 1820 (Crustacea: Branchiopoda).

We describe a new microsporidian species Binucleata daphniae, n. g., n.

Vavraia culicis (Weiser, 1947) Weiser, 1977 revisited: cytological characterisation of a Vavraia culicis-like microsporidium isolated from mosquitoes in Florida and the establishment of Vavraia culicis floridensis subsp. n.

A brief nomenclatural history of Vavraia culicis (Weiser, 1947), the type species for the genus Vavraia Weiser, 1977, is presented together with a detailed description of the cytological and ultrastructural characteristics of a Vavraia culicis-like microsporidian species isolated from Aedes albopictus (Scuse) in Florida. This "Florida isolate", is the only known isolate of a species of the genus Vavraia from mosquitoes propagated in laboratory culture. Although the Florida isolate has been used under the name Vavraia culicis in several molecular phylogeny and host-parasite studies, it has not been structurally characterized and its relationship to the type species Vavraia culicis has never been examined.

An ultrastructural comparison of the attachment sites between Gregarina steini and Cryptosporidium muris.

Early developmental stages of Gregarina steini Berndt, 1902 from the intestine of Tenebrio molitor larvae were studied by transmission electron microscopy. The formation and structure of the eugregarine attachment site were compared with comparable features found on the feeder organelle of Cryptosporidium muris Tyzzer, 1907, from the stomach of experimentally infected rodents. The similarity of the attachment strategy between both organisms was revealed.

Aquatic tetrasporoblastic microsporidia from caddis flies (Insecta, Trichoptera): characterisation, phylogeny and taxonomic reevaluation of the genera Episeptum Larsson, 1986, Pyrotheca Hesse, 1935 and Cougourdella Hesse, 1935.

Seven microsporidian species infecting caddis fly larvae, corresponding to conventional genera Episeptum, Pyrotheca and Cougourdella were studied using light and electron microscopy. Parts of their small subunit, ITS and large subunit ribosomal RNA genes were sequenced and compared with sequences of rDNA obtained from syntype slides of Cougourdella polycentropi Weiser 1965 and Pyrotheca sp. from Hydropsyche pellucidula.

Trachipleistophora extenrec n. sp. a new microsporidian (fungi: microsporidia) infecting mammals.

A new microsporidian Trachipleistophora extenrec n. sp. was isolated from a muscle lesion of the streaked tenrec Hemicentetes semispinosus Cuvier, 1798 (Mammalia, Tenrecidae), an insectivore endemic to Madagascar.

Vairimorpha disparis n. comb. (Microsporidia: Burenellidae): a redescription and taxonomic revision of Thelohania disparis Timofejeva 1956, a microsporidian parasite of the gypsy moth Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae).

Investigation of pathogens of populations of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) in Central and Eastern Europe revealed the existence of a microsporidium (Fungi: Microsporidia) of the genus Vairimorpha. The parasite produced three spore morphotypes.

Nosema chrysorrhoeae n. sp. (Microsporidia), isolated from browntail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea L.) (Lepidoptera, Lymantriidae) in Bulgaria: characterization and phylogenetic relationships.

A new microsporidian parasite Nosema chrysorrhoeae n. sp., isolated in Bulgaria from the browntail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea L.

"Polar vesicles" of microsporidia are mitochondrial remnants ("mitosomes")?

Conventional transmission electron microscopy was used to localise double-membrane vesicles probably representing mitochondrial remnants ("mitosomes") in four species of microsporidia. Very few such vesicles were found dispersed throughout cytoplasm with no relationship to other cell organelles. Several double-membrane vesicles per ultrathin section, however, occurred regularly close to the nuclear spindle plaque.

Microsporidia in aquatic microcrustacea: the copepod microsporidium Marssoniella elegans Lemmermann, 1900 revisited.

Marssoniella elegans Lemmermann, 1900, a parasite of ovarial tissues of the copepod Cyclops vicinus Uljanin, 1875, was studied as a representative of aquatic-clade microsporidia which form "heteroinfectious spores" (spores not infective to the original host as opposed to "homoinfectious spores" which are infective for the original host) and which thus should require an alternate host. Several structural characters of this microsporidian are similar to those of copepod morphs of microsporidia infecting mosquitoes. However, small subunit ribosomal DNA phylogeny indicates that caddis flies (Insecta, Trichoptera) might be the alternate hosts of Marssoniella.

DNA isolation from museum and type collection slides of microsporidia.

DNA from 19 species of microsporidia was isolated and amplified from infected host tissue that were originally prepared between the years 1946 and 1996. The smears, on glass microscope slides, were either Giemsa-stained or unstained. Methanol-fixed, Giemsa-stained smears proved to be suitable for DNA isolation; DNA was amplified from only two of 14 unstained slides.

Molecular phylogeny and evolution of mosquito parasitic Microsporidia (Microsporidia: Amblyosporidae).

Amblyospora species and other aquatic Microsporidia were isolated from mosquitoes, black flies, and copepods and the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene was sequenced. Comparative phylogenetic analysis showed a correspondence between the mosquito host genera and their Amblyspora parasite species. There is a clade of Amblyospora species that infect the Culex host group and a clade of Amblyospora that infect the Aedes/Ochlerotatus group of mosquitoes.